Pulmonaria plant named ‘Raspberry Splash’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct hybrid of Pulmonaria characterized by large bright raspberry-colored flowers with upright, well marked foliage and an extended bloom period.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivated varietyof Pulmonaria which originated as a hybrid between Pulmonaria longifolia‘Bertram Anderson’, unpatented (pod parent), and Pulmonaria ‘Leopard’,unpatented (pollen parent of hybrid origin). Neither parent is patentedor protected in the U.S.

The new Pulmonaria is a result of a controlled cross of theaforementioned plants in Canby, Oreg. This hybrid was selected from alarge number of seedlings. Parent plants were retained to observe habitand to compare with the new variety. The new variety has been reproducedonly by asexual propagation (division and tissue culture). Each of theprogeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original as evidencedby the following characteristics: large flowers (compared to otherPulmonaria longifolia hybrids in the marketplace), sharply tippedfoliage, and intense flower color.

Asexual propagation by division and tissue cultures done in Canby,Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions cometrue to form and are established and transmitted through succeedingpropagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary withvariations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRPAH

The FIGURE shows flowers and foliage in April in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Pulmonaria hybridbased on observations of 1.5-2-year-old field-grown specimens in Canby,Oreg. The color descriptions are all based on the The RoyalHorticultural Society Color Chart.

Size of a 2-year-old plant grown in soil in Canby, Oreg.:

Height.—to 30 cm.

Width.—to 65 cm.

Habit: Mounding.

Foliage:

Basal.—Type — Simple; Herbaceous (evergreen in USDA hardiness Zones 6 to9, herbaceous in USDA hardiness zone 4 and 5.) Shape — Lanceolate.Length — 18-24 cm. Width — 5.5-7.5 cm. Petiole Length — 8-10 cm. Apex —Acuminate to narrowly-acute. Margins — Cilate, entire. Base — Attenuate.Texture — Uniform bristle-like pubescence on both upper and lowersurfaces. Leaf Arrangement — Basal clump. Venation — Reticulate-pinnate.Appearance — Spotted.

Cauline (observed on inflorescence only and does not persist afterinflorescence senesces; unless stated below, other foliagecharacteristics are the same as for basal leaves).—Leaf Arrangement —Opposite. Base — Sessile. Length — to 7 cm. Width — 1.5-2 cm.

Flower:

Flower type.—Complete, perfect.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Included. Anther number: 5. Pistil:Exserted (pin-type). Ovary position: Partly inferior. Placentation:One-chambered, basal.

Flowers.—Diameter: 0.75-1.2 cm from petal tip to petal tip. Length: 1cm. Corolla shape: Funnelform. Petal length: 0.4 cm. Petal width: 0.35cm. Petal number: 5. Petal texture: smooth, undulate. Base is fused.Petal color: Color ranges from RHS Red Purple Group 67A to RHS RedPurple Group 67C. Same color inside and out of the corolla except for amore intense ring at the outside corolla base. Ring color is RHS RedPurple Group 74B. Calyx shape: Urceolate, fused. Calyx color: RHS 138AGreen Group. Calyx length: 1 cm. Calyx width: 0.35 cm. Calyx texture:calyx has a uniform bristle-like pubescence. Sepal number: 5. Fragrance:None.

Blooming habit.—Bracted, terminal forked cymes, 15-20 flowers per cyme,50-75 cymes on a two-year plant.

Peduncle length.—to 19 cm.

Peduncle width.—4 mm tapering to 1.5 mm at pedicels.

Peduncle texture.—Bristle-like pubescence.

Bloom period.—Third week in February to first week in May in Canby,Oreg.

Lastingness of bloom.—Blooms will hold color for 7 days if notpollinated. If pollinated, blooms will drop in 4 days.

Fruit: 4 smooth nutlets.

Disease: Minor susceptibility to powdery mildew has been observed onplants grown commercially in Canby, Oreg.

Color characteristics:

Foliage.—Mature leaves, upper surface, background RHS Yellow Green Group147A; mature leaves, upper surface, spotted areas, RHS Greyed GreenGroup 191A; mature leaves lower surface, RHS green Group 138A.

Flowers.—Color ranges from RHS Red Purple Group 67A to RHS Red PurpleGroup 67C; same color inside and outside of petals, except for a moreintense ring at the outside corolla base- Ring color is RHS Red PurpleGroup 74B; calyx color is RHS Green Group 138A.

Peduncle.—R.H.S. Yellow-Green Group 148C.

DESCRIPTION OF PARENT PLANTS

Pulmonaria longifolia ‘Bertram Anderson’ (pod parent) has small,cobalt-blue flowers, typical of Pulmonaria longifolia, and Pulmonaria‘Leopard’ (pollen parent of hybrid origin) has large, widely splayedflowers with a similar range of color as Pulmonaria “Raspberry Splash”.Pulmonaria ‘Leopard’ has a much lower growth habit, similar toPulmonaria saccharata. Pulmonaria ‘Raspberrry Splash’ hascharacteristics which make it unique from its parents, having raspberrycolored flowers of the Pulmonaria longifolia-type (small, narrowlysplayed blooms), with narrow, upright, silver-splashed foliage.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct hybrid of Pulmonaria substantially asshown and described, characterized by large bright rapsberry-coloredflowers with